Tablet crushing and dispensing device



Nov. 30, 1937. F. A. LOBLEY 2,100,860

TABLET CRUSHING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1933 Ema; 1:45am;

ium Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT TABLET CRUSHING ANDDISPENSING DEVICE Application February 25, 1933, Serial No. 658,514

13 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to dispensing devices and isparticularly concerned with the provision of a combined crushing anddispensing device for crushing and dispensing tablets, such as, forexample, effervescent tablets used in making carbonated drinks and thelike on a soda fountain counter. In utilizing crushed effervescenttablets a better carbonated drink is obtained than is possible when thewhole tablet is allowed to dissolve slowly. The present invention istherefore particularly concerned with the provision of a small sizeportable combined crushing and dispensing device for use at sodafountains and similar establishments where it is desired to be able toquickly and conveniently make carbonated beverages from effervescenttablets and the like on the fountain counter and in the presence of thecustomer. In this connection it is also an important object of thepresent invention to provide a device in which the tablet container issubstantially air-tight so as to prevent excessive deterioration of thetablets by contact with the air. The tablets come sealed in a bottle,which is opened and thebottle then immediately applied to the device ofmy invention.

Other objects of the present invention are concerned with the provisionof new and improved supporting means for the tablet container and of themeans for feeding the tablets in predetermined quantities of one or moreto the crushing rolls. In addition, the present invention is alsoconcerned with the provision of new and improved stripping means in theform of scraper blades for removing the crushed material fromthe'crushing rolls.

A further object is the provision of improved operating means wherebythe machine may be employed to crush tablets with ease without thenecessity for clamping the same to a rigid support.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing illustrating such embodiments.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a vertical section taken through a combined crushing anddispensing device constructed according to the principles of the presentinvention; V

Figure 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 4- l of Figure l.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral l indicates a base memberincluding supporting feet 2 and a vertically arranged standard 3. Thedevice is adapted to stand without fastening means upon any supportingsurface such as a table top or counter. The standard carries at itsupper end a hopper 5 having an upper end portion 6 which is open, and alower portion which terminates in a spout or discharge outlet 1. Thehopper may be formed of one casting or it may consist of a pair ofcomplementary castings, as indicated in Figure l by the referencenumerals 9 and iii. Also, the hopper 5 includes a bracket portion l2,preferably formed integral therewith, and which receives and is securedto the upper end of the standard 3. Any means, such as bolts l3, may beused for securing the hopper to the standard 3. The machine is supportedin stable equilibrium inasmuch as the base portion 2 is directly belowthe main part of the machine, although the standard 3 is offset.

A portion of the upper open end 6 of the hopper is provided with ahinged closure l6 which is pivoted in lugs l'l carried by a web orbracket l8 secured to the upper part of the hopper by screws I9 or thelike. The bracket i8 merges into or carries an upwardly extending flangeor collar Zll which is adapted to receive the lower open end of a tabletcontainer ii in the form of an inverted tubular casing of glass or thelike adapted to contain the effervescent tablets 22, or whatevercommodity it is desired to dispense. An inwardly directed flange 23supports the container. The lower end of the container 25 is received insubstantially air-tight relation by the collar 2% through the use ofgasket means 24. Preferably,

the gasket means takes the form of a rubber ring or the like and is soconstructed and arranged as to provide for the removal of the tabletcontainer 2! for the purpose of refilling the same.

The preferred manner of recharging the machine after the tablets areexhausted is to remove the empty bottle 2i, turn the machine on its sideor upside down, and insert in the ring 24 the mouth of 'a full bottle ofthe tablets.

Just underneath the container supporting bracket i8 is a horizontalledge 25 which is preferably formed integral with the hopper 5, or atleast the upper half thereof. The upper surface of the ledge 25 is flatand is spaced downwardly from the lower open end of the container 2!, orthe inwardly directed flange 23 which supports the container 2|, adistance substantially equal to the thickness of at least one of thetablets 22. A manually operable slide ejector 3B is movable over theledge 25 and across the lower open end of the tablet container 21 and,fits snugly between the adjacent surfaces on the bracket 53 of thecollar 20 and the ledge 25. The slide 33 is maintained in properrelation on the hopper by means of ears 3! which are received withinsuitable guiding channels or slots 32 formed in the lower portion of thebracket I8. Springs 33 may be utilized for returning the slide 39 to aposition closing the open end of the tablet container. The end walls 34of the channels or slots determine the extent of permissiblereciprocation of the slide 38. The outer end of the slide memberterminates in an eye 35 to provide for convenient manual operation ofthe slide.

A pair of crushing rolls 40 and M are journaled for rotation in thehopper 5 and for this purpose shafts 42 and 43 are provided, theseshafts having their ends received in suitable bearings or journal boxesformed on or carried by the hopper 5. The crushing rolls 45 and ii aregeared to rotate together by meshed gears 45 and 46, these gears beingpreferably disposed in the hopper 5 adjacent a side wall 28 thereof, asbest shown in Figure 2. If desired, the gears may be separated fromthecrushing zone of the hopper by an intermediate wall or the like.

The crushing rolls 4!) and 4| are adapted to be power or manuallyoperated or rotated by means of a pinion 55 disposed adjacent the wall48 of the hopper 5, and meshed with one of the crushing roll gears, as,for example, the gear 45. The pinion 50 is fixed to a stub shaft 5|,journaled in the wall 48 and provided at its outer end with a hand wheel52 keyed or otherwise suitably secured thereto. This hand wheel isprovided with peripheral projections to keep the thumb and fingers ofthe hand from slipping. The particular wheel is shown as formed like atiller Wheel, i. e., with handle-like projections extending radiallyfrom the rim of the same. The periphery of the wheel is adapted to begripped between the thumb and fingers of the right hand and theprojections serve to prevent slippage. The wheel is adapted to begrasped by the right hand of the operator and turned in a direction tomove the top half of the wheel away from the operator, that is, in aclockwise direction as viewed from the left of Figure 2, by twisting ofthe wrist. This turns the top of the rolls il4i towards each other tobite or crush the tablets between them. If desired, power means of anysuitable character may be substituted for or connected to drive thewheel 52.

The crushing rolls 40 and 4| are so disposed in the housing that theyare closely spaced with respect to each other, as indicated by thereference numeral 55 in Figure 3 to crush the tablets to the desiredsize of granules. To strip the crushed material from the rolls 40 and lla pair of scraper blades 51 and 58 are provided, one cooperating withthe roll 40 and the other cooperating with the roll 4| and bothextending upwardly in converging relation, as best indicated in Figurel. The lower end of each of the scraper blades 51 and 58 carries alaterally directed flange which is suitably apertured to provide for thereception of securing screws 60 threaded into suitable openings in thelower portion of the spout 1. If desired, the spout I may be providedwith inturned flanges or the equivalent, to receive the screws 60.

The rolls are not brought into contact with each other, but are spacedapart to provide a resultant granular size of the crushed or brokentablets which will give the desired speed of solution and eifervescence.It is desirable that the tablets be crushed into a relatively coarsegranular form so that the solution will be carried on vigorously Whilethe drink is being prepared and handed to the customer. If the tabletsbe crushed too fine the effervescent action will be too Violent and willnot persist while the drink is being handed to the customer. Obviously,the sale of the material as a loose granular powder is not desirablebecause it is too difficult for the retailers to dispense it eitherreadily or accurately. Also, it tends to be more easily disintegrated bycontact with the atmosphere. Tablets are therefore resorted to as aconvenience in measuring, packing, shipping and retailing the material.However, the prepa ration of the drink according to the desired mannerrequires more rapid solution of the material than occurs by merelydropping the whole tablet in the liquid.

For coarse crushing therolls 66 and 4| can be formed with smoothsurfaces and of suitable ma-- terial to operate satisfactorily with thetablets to be crushed. For finer crushing the rolls may be line knurledvery shallow, and the clearance between the rolls may be less, ifdesired, than is indicated in Figure ,3. Where the rolls are knurled,the knurling is preferably formed at a slight angle so as to prevent thescraper blades from catching in the knurls on the rolls wheresubstantially straight scraper blades are used. If desired, the bladesmay be disposed at a slight angle, in which case the knurls on the rollsmay be straight.

Pulling out the slide 30 to the extent permitted by the channels 32allows the tablets 22 to lower in the container 2!, so that thelowermost tablet rests upon the supporting ledge 25. The slide is thenpushed inwardly back, either manually or by the springs 33, to theposition shown in Figure 1, and in so doing the slide carries thelowermost tablet or tablets forward and drops them over the edge of theledge 25 and in between the rolls 4G and ll. If ingredients other thanthe tablets in the container 21 are desired they may be introduced byopening the closure I5. Thus, such additional ingredients may be crushedby the rolls 40 and M at the same time the tablets are crushed. Ofcourse, any ingredients may be introduced into the crushing rolls byopening the lid I6, regardless as to whether or not the slide 30 isactuated to throw in one or more of the tablets 22. The hand wheel 52 isthen turned, which causes the rotation of both of the rolls in thedirection indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. Upon turning the rollsthe tablet and/or other ingredients are drawn through the rolls andcrushed, the crushed material falling through the spout l and beingdirected thereby and by the scraper blades into a glass or otherreceptacle disposed underneath the spout and guided in register underthe spout or chute 1, between the supporting feet 2. In Figure l theglass is indicated by the reference numeral 70. The stripper or scraperblades 57 and 58 scrape off from the rolls any of the crushed materialwhich adheres thereto.

Preferably the fit between the slide 35 and the ledge 25 is such thatthe tablet container 2| is substantially airtight. Figure 1 illustrateshow the slide 35 closes the lower end of the tablet container. It isimportant to note that the parts are so correlated that not only are thetablets kept in practically hermetically sealed relation, but also thefeeding of the tablets into the crushing rolls is performed entirelywithin the casing 5. The

tablets are thus never exposed to dust, dirt and the like in the air butare fed from the closed container 2! directly to the rolls 40 and 4| inthe closed casing 5. The operators hands never touch the tablets, andthe latter are never accessible to the operator in the normal operationof the device.

While I have described above the structure in which the principles ofthe present invention are preferably embodied, it is to be understoodthat my invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown anddescribed, but that, in fact, Widely different means may be employed inthe practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable dispensing and crushing machine adapted for counter usefor preparing material in tablet form for drinks and the like comprisinga substantiallyclosed containercomprising aninverted tubular bottleadapted for holding the tablets, a substantially closed casing having ashort tubular socket with a resilient annular sealing and gripping ringmounted therein and into which the lower portion of said containerextends and is re siliently held and sealed, means in said casing forcrushing said material, and feeding means comprising a reciprocableslide operating within said casing for carrying and delivering givenquantities of the material within the casing from the lower portion ofsaid container laterally to said crushing means along a path of movementwithin said casing which is normally inaccessible to contamination andthe like.

2. A portable dispensing and crushing machine adapted for counter usefor preparing an ingredient for drinks and the like comprising asubstantially closed container adapted for holding the ingredient, ahopper on which said container is mounted, the lower end of saidcontainer opening into the hopper below the upper edge of the latter,means for crushing said ingredient including a roll disposed within saidhopper below the lower end of said container, a reciprocable transferdevice forming feeding means disposed within said hopper at the lowerend of said container and below the upper edge of the hopper and adaptedto remove given quantities of said ingredient from the container anddeliver the same within the hopper to said crushing roll for eachreciprocation, closure means for the upper portion of said hopper, meanssecured to said hopper for sealing the lower portion of said containerto said hopper, and means outside said hopper for operating said feedingmeans.

3. A portable dispensing and crushing machine adapted for counter usefor preparing an ingredient for drinks and the like comprising a hopperhaving an opening at the top thereof, a generally horizontally disposedledge carried near the upper portion of the forward edge of said hopper;a pair of crushing rolls disposed in said hopper below said ledge, atubular glass container for tablets supported upon said hopper and abovesaid ledge and including an open end, .a resilient sealing ring forsecuring the open end to said hopper said hopper, said slide beingmovable across the open end of said container rearwardly of the hopperledge to eject said tablet rearwardly from said ledge and into saidcrushing rolls, means serving as a spout carried by said hopper belowthe adjacent portions of said crushing rolls, and a base including astandard supporting said hopper in elevated position to provide for thedisposition of a drinking glass under said spout.

4. A portable dispensing and crushing machine adapted for counter usefor preparing an ingredient for drinks and the like comprising a hopperhaving an upper open portion provided with a substantially horizontallydisposed fiat ledge at its forward upper portion and a lower portionterminating in a dispensing spout disposed rearwardly of and below saidledge, a pair of tablet crushing rolls disposed in said hopper with thebite of the rolls substantially vertically in line with said spout andone of said rolls being disposed substantially' under said ledge, meanscarried by said hopper for rotating said rolls, an inverted tabletcontainer bottlemounted on said hopper and having an open. lower end,socket means on the hopper to receive and hold frictionally the lowerend of said container bottle in substantially sealed relation, a slidereciprocable across the lower open end of said tablet container bottleand between said ledge and the container bottle supporting means on thehopper, the reciprocation thereof serving to eject entirely within thecasing a predetermined number of tablets over the rear edge of saidledge above said one roll so that said number of tablets fall directlyinto the space between said crushing rolls, and a supporting base forthe hopper including a pedestal and standard supporting the hopper in aposition to permit the disposition of a drinking glass underneath saidspout.

5. A portable means for crushing effervescent tablets to substantially apredetermined grain, comprising a hollow frame having substantiallyparallel end walls, a mounting lug extending from the back wall, astandard having a base, said standard being connected to said lug tosupport the frame above the base, a pair of crushing rolls journaled insaid end walls and being geared together to crush the tablet by rotationtoward each other on their top sides, said frame having normally aclosed inlet at the top and having a discharge opening at the bottom,said base having a guiding portion for guiding a glass into registerwith said outlet opening, a pinion meshing with the gear of the back oneof said rolls, said pinion being adapted to be turned in a clockwisedirection for rotation of the rolls as aforesaid, and a tiller wheeladapted to be turned by gripping the periphery thereof between the thumband fingers of the right hand and turning in a right hand or clockwisedirection as viewed from the right of the machine for the crushingoperation whereby the machine may be operated and steadied by one handalone.

6. A portable means for crushing effervescent tablets to substantially apredetermined grain, comprising a hollow frame having substantiallyparallel end walls, a mounting lug extending from the back wall, astandard having a base, said standard being connected to said lug tosupport the frame above the base, a pair of crushing rolls journaled insaid end walls and being geared together to crush the tablet by rotationtoward each other on their top sides, said frame having normally aclosed inlet at the top and having a dischargeopening at the bottom,said base having aguiding portion for guiding a glass into register withsaid outlet opening, a pinion meshing with the gear of the back one ofsaid rolls, said pinion being adapted to be turned in a clockwisedirection for rotation of the rolls as aforesaid for the crushingoperation, a tiller wheel adapted to be turned by gripping the peripherythereof between the thumb and fingers of the right hand and turning in aright hand or clockwise direction as viewed from the right of themachine, and scraper blades extending angularly from the sides of thedischarge opening into contact with the bottom parts of the rolls toscrape the crushed material from said rolls.

7. A portable crusher for tablets or the like, comprising thecombination of a hollow casing having a normally closed hopper at thetop and a discharge opening at the bottom and having side and end walls,a pair of crushing rolls in said casing journaled on said end walls andhaving meshing gears within the casing, a driving pinion journaled onone of said end walls and meshing with one of said gears and a handwheel having peripheral projections, said wheel being adapted to begripped by the thumb and fingers of the operator for rotation in adirection tocause the top of the wheel to travel away from the operatorand to cause the tops of the crushing rolls to move toward each other,and a supporting standard connected at its upper end to the casing andhaving a supporting base portion providing a guide for guiding areceiving glass into register under the discharge opening of the casing,said wheel when grasped by the hand of the operator 7 serving both tooperate the rolls and to steady til the entire device on its base.

8. A portable crusher for tablets or the like, comprising thecombination of a hollow casing providing a normally closed hopper at thetop thereof and a discharge opening at the bottom thereof and havingside and end walls, tablet feeding means comprising a tablet receivingsocket, a passageway from said socket to the inside of the hopper, aslide for feeding tablets one at a time from said socket through saidpassageway into the hopper without contact with the hands of theoperator, a pair of crushing rolls in said casing journaled on said endwalls and having meshing gears, a driving pinion journaled on one ofsaid end walls and meshing with one of said gears and a hand wheelhaving peripheral projections, said wheel being adapted to be gripped bythe thumb and fingers of the operator for rotation in a direction tocause the top of the wheel to travel away from the operator and to causethe tops of the crushing rolls to move toward each other, and a standardconnected at its upper end to the casing and having a base portionproviding a guide for guiding a receiving glass into register under thedischarge opening of the casing.

9. A portable crushing machine for tablets and the like suitable forcounter use, comprising a hollow casing having side walls and end wallsand an outlet opening, a hopper at the top, a cover for the hopper, apair of crushing rolls in the casing directly below the hopper, saidrolls being journaled on the end walls of the casing and having gearswithin the casing for causing conjoint rotation of .the rolls, a pinionin the casing meshing with one of said gears, said pinion having a shaftjournaled on one end wall, a hand wheel having a rim provided withperipheral projections for engagement of the fingers and thumb of thehand for turning the wheel by twisting of the wrist and simultaneouslysteadying the device upon its base, a support comprising a standardsecured to one of the outer walls of the casing, and a base forsupporting the machine in stable equilibrium, said support having meansfor guiding a glass into register with the outlet opening.

10. A portable crushing machine for tablets and the like, comprising ahollow casing having side walls and end walls and an outlet opening, ahopper at the top, a cover for the hopper, feeding means comprising amanually controlled reciprocable slide for delivering from a closedcontainer a tablet at a time to said hopper without contact with thehands of the operator, a pair of crushing rolls in the casing journaledon the end walls of the casing and having gears within the casing forcausing conjoint rotation of the rolls, a pinion in the casing meshingwith one of said gears, said pinion having a shaft journaled on one endwall, a hand wheel having a rim provided with peripheral projections forengagement by the fingers and thumb of the hand for turning the wheel bytwisting of the wrist, a support comprising a standard secured to one ofthe outer walls of the casing, a base for supporting the machine instable equilibrium, said support having means for guiding a glass intoregister with the outlet opening, said casing having a short verticaltubular socket above said slide and in register with one end thereofcontaining a resilient gripping and sealing ring, and a bottle oftablets having its open end introduced into and resiliently held by saidgripping and sealing ring, whereby operation of the slide may dischargethe tablets one at a time into the hopper.

11. A device of the class described comprising a substantially closedcasing having a tubular socket at the upper end thereof adapted toreceive and grip the mouth of a tubular container, a tubular containercomprising a closed end cylindrical bottle in which tablets are adaptedto be provided in a single stack, a pair of rolls mounted in said casingwith the bite of the rolls disposed laterally of said tubular socket, atransfer slide operable from outside the casing for transferring withinthe casing a tablet laterally from said socket to said rolls, and meansexternal to the casing for operating said rolls, said slide normallyclosing off the passageway between said socket and the interior of thecasing, said casing having an outlet below said rolls for discharge ofthe crushed material.

12. A device of the class described comprising a substantially closedcasing having a tubular socket at the upper end thereof provided with aresilient gasket adapted to receive and grip frictionally the mouth of atubular container in which tablets are adapted to be provided in asingle stack, a pair of rolls mounted in said casing, a transfer slidedisposed within the casing and being operable from outside the casingfor transferring a tablet from said socket to said rolls wholly withinthe casing, means external to the casing for operating said rolls, saidslide normally closing off the passageway between said socket and theinterior of the casing, said casing having an outlet below said rollsfor discharge of the crushed material, and an ofiset standard having abase for supporting said casing and for guiding a drinking glass intoregister with the outlet of the casing.

13. A portable dispensing and crushing machine suitable for counter usecomprising a closed hollow casing in which are mounted two crushingrolls geared together, said rolls being provided with driving meansexternal of the casing, said casing having an outlet at the bottom fordischarging the product of said rolls into a receptacle, a stand for thecasing, said stand having means for guiding a receptacle directly undersaid opening, said casing having a short open tubular neck with aresilient ringlike gasket fixed on its inner surface, said neck beingspaced laterally with respect to the bite of the rolls, an invertedbottle with an open mouth disposed in and gripped by said ring andadapted to contain material to be crushed by said rolls, and a carrierslide guided for reciprocation in said casing below the tubular neck andabove the rolls, said carrier slide having an operating handle extendingoutside the casing, said casing having a substantially horizontal walldisposed below said slide to halt the flow of material from the bottle,said carrier on its inner movement displacing a, charge of the materiallaterally and dropping it into the bite of the rolls, and preventing theescape of further material from the bottle until the slide is returned,said material being transferred wholly within the casing to eliminatecontamination.

FREDERICK A. LOBLEY.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

atent No. 2,100,860. November 50, 1957.

FREDERICK A. LOBLEY.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the abovenumbered patent was erroneously described and specified as "Dr. MilesLaboratories, Inc. whereas said name should have been describedand-speci fied as Miles Laboratories, Inc. of Elkhart, Indiana, acorporation of Indiana, as shown by the record of assignments in thisoffice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of February, A. D, 1958.

Henry Van Arsdale,

'(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

